Israel

Footage Released of Palestinian Stabbing Attack That Left Israeli Man Critically Injured

Authorities have released footage showing a Palestinian terrorist stabbing and critically wounding a supermarket employee in the central Israeli city of Yavneh on Wednesday.

The unnamed 43-year-old victim is seen fighting off his 19-year-old attacker, Ismail Ibrahim Ismail Abu Aram, despite sustaining stab wounds to the head, neck, and upper body, The Times of Israel reported. The victim was rushed to the Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot in unstable condition.

Abu Aram tried to flee the scene but was tackled and held down by civilian bystanders until police arrived. Though he had no record of previous terrorist activity, he was subsequently transferred to the Shin Bet for further interrogation.

Abu Aram entered Israel illegally from his hometown of Yatta, near Hebron in the West Bank. Israeli forces searched his house following the attack, but made no arrests.

A number of recent terrorists came from Yatta, including the two Palestinian gunmen who carried out the lethal Sarona Market attack in June 2016.

According to Israeli authorities, over 50 people have been killed in Palestinian terrorist attacks—including shootings, stabbings, and car rammings—since September 2015. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs blames the wave of terror on “incitement by radical Islamist and terrorist elements, calling on Palestinian youth to murder Jews.”

“Statements by Fatah, Hamas and [Palestinian Islamic Jihad] spokespersons have described the attacks as ‘heroic actions’ and ‘the natural response to Israel’s crimes,'” the ministry added.

Also on Wednesday, a Palestinian man from Nablus admitted to beating his pregnant Israeli girlfriend to death. Muhammad Harouf told reporters in court that he committed the crime because he “wanted to free prisoners.” While leaving the courtroom, Harouf kicked a guard and yelled, “I’ll kill all the Jews.”

That day, Israeli authorities announced the arrest of a Palestinian couple in Hebron who had stored over 200 rounds of ammunition in their children’s bedrooms.